The present invention is in the field of noise and vibration control. More specifically this invention relates to an apparatus for isolating the structure borne vibration, and therefore the noise transferred from one part of a building to another.
In many building applications, furring channels are used to attach one part of a building structure, for example wallboard or other sheet material, to another part of the building structure. Noise, transmitted structurally as vibration, is often transmitted from one part of the building to another through the furring channel connection points.
When hanging a ceiling from a structure, furring channels are often attached to the joists, and the ceiling panels are then hung from the furring channels. In order to reduce the noise and vibration transferred via these connections, there are vibration isolating mounting methods. One of these methods is using a resilient channel. This is a metal channel with at least one flange, which is attached to the mounting surface via this flange, and wherein the remainder of the channel is offset from the mounting surface, thereby, when the wallboard or ceiling structure is mounted to the channel portion, it is isolated from the mounting surface. There are many opportunities for the resilient channel to fail by “shorting-out”. If the deflection of the channel is not enough, the channel may come in contact with the stud. Also, mounting of the drywall or other material to the channel is often done where the mounting mechanism passes through the drywall, and inadvertently goes through too far, and comes in contact with the mounting surface. Further, the resilient channels are not used in conjunction with standard furring channels, but are specifically ordered for the application. Mounting clips are available for mounting standard furring channels to a mounting surface, such that the drywall/ceiling is vibrationally isolated from the mounting surface. These clips can be expensive to manufacture. Prior art clips, in some cases only provide minimal deflection.
A mounting apparatus is needed for mounting standard furring channels to a mounting surface, such that drywall/ceiling mounted to these furring channels will be vibrationally isolated from the mounting surface. Further, a vibration isolating mounting apparatus is need for mounting other substrate to a mounting surface, such as mounting a ceiling grid for a floating ceiling to the mounting surface.